HASA Protest Page 6.
Tuesday, Feb.
Your money, their budget
How UCOSA uses allocations from tuition
Ella Spurlock Managing Editor
The UCO Student Association (UCOSA) is UCO’s student government association that serves the UCO student body by managing student organizations and clubs, addressing student concerns and enhancing the student experience for the student body on and off campus.
The 2024-2025 UCOSA administration belongs to the Student Body President, Cooper Autry, and the Vice Student Body President, Reda Errahmouni. During their campaign, Autry and Errahmouni stood on a platform that aimed to uplift the student body through clear, concise communication. Along with this, they both aimed to encourage student engagement and involvement by promoting various campus events and initiatives on social media. But if you take a look at the Cooper Autry & Reda Errahmouni Instagram page, from the first day of school on Aug. 19 2024, there have only been 14 posts made and the posts don’t completely encompass events put on by clubs and organizations here at UCO. If anything, these posts promote Autry and Errahmouni as individuals.
Along with promotions of events being few and far between, communication from the administration has been choppy with the student body, and from interview attempts, Autry is not seemingly able to answer questions openly. Instead, whoever may be seeking information about the Autry Administration, or about what UCOSA does, will more than likely be redirected to a different source for information. This
could be seen as concerning considering the fact that it is stated in the UCOSA information section of the UCO website that Autry “looks forward to hearing their (the student body) comments, concerns and desires.”
UCOSA does not just manage clubs and organizations, address student concerns and enhance student experiences, UCOSA also has the privilege of having funds allocated to them from the Student Activity Fee (SAF). The funds that are allocated through the SAF to UCOSA are derived from students’ tuition and are handled by the UCOSA Congress Ways and Means Committee. So how is the money being used?
Any funds appropriated to UCOSA by the university are specifically divided. These appropriated funds are to be divided as follows before any subdivisions or appropriations are made.
Continued on Page 7.
Walters requests bid to supply Bibles in elementary schools
Troy Isbell Reporter
The Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) submitted a request for a proposal on Friday, February 21, 2025, asking vendors to supply Bibles to Oklahoma public elementary schools, so as to implement them as instructional material for students.
The OSDE is requesting to make a one-year contract with a vendor that will provide Bibles to be used for teachings in social studies classes in all Oklahoma public elementary schools.
The vendor will have the option “of four oneyear renewals for the contract,” reports Josh Wallace for KOCO 5 News. “The bidder is also required to be able to ship the materials to every school district in the state, with the quantities being ‘provided by OSDE.’”
The request also requires that each vendor bidding to provide Bibles to the OSDE must comply to every requirement listed in order for the vendors to be considered, including:
“Materials should contain age-appropriate biblical content, provide simple explanations that are easily understandable for elementary-age students, and demonstrate how biblical figures and stories have influenced historical events and cultural practices in the United States.”
“Materials shall emphasize the development
of core virtues such as honesty, respect, responsibility and compassion and provide historical
examples and historical figures to illustrate these virtues.”
“Materials should provide activities and exercises that help students apply these core virtues to their daily lives.”
“Materials should reference significant historical events that occurred in Oklahoma and key historical figures from Oklahoma.”
“Materials should reference key figures and events that have shaped the history and culture of Oklahoma.”
“Materials should provide a teacher guide to help teachers in integrating these topics into their classroom instruction and options for professional development.”
“Materials should align with relevant civics concepts in the Oklahoma Academic Standards for Social Studies. Provide examples.”
“The bidder’s entire order should be produced and delivered no more than 56 calendar days after the award date of the contract.” Continued
Trump Admin to select news outlets allowed in key White House events
Ella Spurlock Managing Editor
According to White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, as of Feb. 25 all reporters belonging to media outlets that wish to report within the limited presidential reporting pool will be handpicked by the Trump Administration to allow “new media” outlets to have access to key White House events and the press briefing room. The presidential reporting pool is a 13-person press pool that rotates daily and is chosen by the 100-year-old White House Correspondents Agency (WHCA). The journalists within the pool report on the day-to-day activities of the sitting president and their administration. This pool is mainly made up of journalists from traditional media outlets such as Reuters, CNN, Fox, ABC News and The New York Times, but The Associated Press (AP) has recently been removed.
The AP, a global news outlet, has been a part of this list for over a century, but on Feb. 11 the AP was blocked twice from entering the White House to report on President Trump and his administration, but it does not stop there. The AP was blocked a third time during a media conference featuring President Trump. Finally, the AP was officially barred from the White House.
This is because the AP would not change their style guidelines to replace the Gulf of Mexico with the Gulf of America per President Trump’s executive order. With the AP being a global outlet, their style guidelines are recognized across the world and since the United States is the only country to rename the body of water, the guide-
line change would not accurately represent every other country. To try to rectify the problem, the AP would have listed the Gulf of America alongside the Gulf of Mexico, but that did not please the administration.
Continued on Page
The UCO Student Association serves the UCO student community as its reprenstation on campus and acts as a voice for students. (VICTOR LOPEZ/THE VISTA)
A stack of books including the Holy Bible are shown at an OKlahoma Baord of Education meeting. (JAKE RAMSEY/THE VISTA)
The White House announced on Feb. 25, that it would be selecting from a pool of press on who has the authority
attend certain events. (PROVIDED/ASSOCIATED PRESS)
David Edmondson Contributer
It’s hard to walk a tightrope, When I carry my values. Then I walked on dental floss, With a crowd throwing fruit.
“You fool!”
“How could you understand?!”
“I hope the rope breaks and kills you!”
A little much, Don’t you think?
My convictions are twisted, Without any conversation? Transparency, Reciprocation, Adaptability. Those are my beliefs. Not resorting to violence if anyone disagrees, Does anyone agree with me?
That last question always starts a fight.
Why?
To question one’s beliefs, As a dualist sees, One way is the truth and one’s a lie. Transparency is clear, A window to honesty. It destroys half-truths, And demagogues alike. Reciprocation’s a tool, An action in full, That returns gifts given to me. Adaptability is humility, Mixed with learning, To become a better member of my team.
These three components, Form the whole key, That can solve the problem
in our society. That key is context. What’s the saying?
An eye for an eye?
You take an eye, An eye gets taken from you too. Then amnesia sets in.
Remember, A line is walked, When hypocrisy is shown. If there’s context, No eye is taken. One is given, To end in compromise. In a world of red and blue, It’s no longer black and white.
Context creates clarity, Doing away with misunderstandings. I hope one day, You can see I’m a friend, Who just wants to listen. I truly hope, You can listen to me too.
THIS POEM WAS SUBMITTED BY A UCO STUDENT WITH THE PEN NAME DAVID EDMONDSON.
Terin Ritz (99) slides into third-base against the OBU softball team.
Arriana Charqueño Photographer
State Superintendent continues push for Bibles in schools
Continued from Page 1.
Ryan Walters, Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction suggests that the King James Bible be used to teach Oklahoma students of all ages about the United States’ history, emphasizing the contributions it has had to America’s historical context, and comparing it to other significant historical documents.
“When you look at getting Bibles back to the classroom, I believe it’s essential. I believe that kids need to understand the foundation of American history. That’s the Bible, the Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence,” said Walters in an interview with News 9 on Feb. 5, 2025. “It is not to evangelize to kids. It’s not to push a religion on kids. We’re not going to teach history right if we leave the Bible out and the influence of Christianity.”
Walters has been advocating for integrating the Bible into the Oklahoma public school curriculum since the summer of 2024, however this proposal prioritizes integrating Bibles into elementary schools, specifically; whereas previously, it was only proposed that Bibles be implemented in classrooms from grades five through twelve.
Walters asked for 3$ million to be given to the OSDE in order to purchase copies of the Bible, the Declaration of Independence, and the U.S. Constitution to put in every Oklahoma public school classroom.
“We want to estimate around $3 million. I think it can be done for less, but this is a maximum, and allow people to bid on it. See what kind of deals we can make; see who wants to offer it at a very cheap price; see what kind of agreements we can have with vendors here,” Walters continued.
“It’s the most published book in the world, so
that gives an opportunity for competition. But it’s essential that our kids understand the foundational documents in American history. We’ve rewritten our history standards to reflect that, and I think we need to go back to having a Bible in every classroom.”
White House to select from pool of press in new move from Trump Admin
Continued from Page 1.
Along with being barred by the Trump Administration, the AP’s wire service has since been removed from the presidential reporting pool until they officially change their style guidelines.
As the AP is an outlet for independent journalism, their barment was highly concerning nationally. Most are calling it unconstitutional and many are worried that the barment of the AP and now, the picky selections over who can and cannot report over the Trump Administration first hand, is a slippery slope in the wrong direction. But the Trump Administration does not look at the decision through that lens, instead, they find these actions to be empowering.
Leavitt stated, “By deciding which outlets make up the limited press pool on a day-to-day basis, the White House will be restoring power back to the American people.”
But how does this restore power back to the American people? Millions of Americans turn to these major news outlets that are currently a part of the press pool for reliable news information. If that information is taken away, or if the reliability goes away, no one is going to know who to listen to for breaking news. A country can not have news sources that are only seen as credible.
The Trump Administration is also making an unconstitutional move with presumably taking over the press pool. For instance, if President Trump attempts to sign an executive order to overhaul the pool, then it may be seen as a direct infringement on the First Amendment. Congress cannot pass laws that restrict the freedom of the press and no one, not even the president, is above
Jake Ramsey Editor-in-Chief
Ella Spurlock Managing Editor
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this rule.
Eugene Daniels, president of the WHCA, agrees that “this move tears at the independence of the free press in the United States.” Daniels also states, “It suggests the government will choose the journalists who cover the president. In a free country, leaders must not choose their own press corps.”
As of now, nothing is written in stone. Other than Leavitt’s statements on the matter, the White House has not released any further information on the issue, but nonetheless, the comment is a concern for the American people and the integrity of the constitution that the president is supposed to uphold.
UCO’s Student Voice Since 1903
The Vista is published as a newspaper and public forum by UCO students weekly during the academic year, at the University of Central Oklahoma. The issue price is free.
EDITORIALS
The Vista is published weekly during the spring, summer and fall semesters. In all issues, The Vista has opportunities for both digital, online and print ads. For information or questions, contact: 405-974-5549 or thevista.ads@gmail.com
Opinion columns, editorial cartoons, reviews and commentaries represent the views of the writer or artist and not necessarily the views of The Vista Editorial Board, the Department of Mass Communications, UCO or the Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges. The Vista is not an official medium of expression for the Regents or UCO.
LETTERS
The Vista encourages letters to the editor. Letters should address issues and ideas, not personalities. Letters must
be typed, double-spaced and must include the author’s printed name, major, classification and phone number. Phone numbers are included for contacting purposes only.
Letters are subject to editing for libel, clarity and space, or to eliminate statements of questionable taste. The Vista reserves the right not to publish submitted letters.
ADDRESS LETTERS TO: Editor, The Vista 100 N. University Dr. Edmond, OK 73034-5209
Or, deliver in person to the editor in the Mass Communications Building, Room 131. Letters can be emailed to jramsey14@uco.edu
Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters is continuing his push to put the Holy Bible in Oklahoma K-12 schools, this time specifying elementary education. (JAKE RAMSEY/THE VISTA)
President Donald Trump’s White House is set to select which press can attend certain White House events after a dispute with the Associated Press over its guidelines. (PROVIDED/ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Bronchos Crown Five Champions, Qualify Eight for Wrestling
The University of Central Oklahoma wrestling team continued its dominance Saturday, winning its third consecutive NCAA Division II Super Regional IV title. The Bronchos secured five individual championships and qualified eight wrestlers for the NCAA Division II National Championships. McKendree finished with the highest match point total at 286, while UCO ended with 249, but the Bronchos had more individual champions than any other team. Their victories came in high stakes matches, with four of their five champions winning by decision and only one final being decided by a major decision. No. 4-ranked Peter Rolle won his first regional crown at 133 pounds with a 4-1 decision over No. 5-ranked Jimmy Anderson of Ouachita Baptist, marking his second win by decision in the tournament after securing a 10-0 major decision in the semifinals. At 157 pounds, No. 2-ranked Gabe Johnson won his second straight regional title with a 4-1 victory over No. 10-ranked John Ridle of Central Missouri in the finals. Johnson, who entered the tournament
UCO Baseball
Dylan Hibbard-Scott Reporter
with a 22-1 record, controlled the match from start to finish after pinning Indianapolis’ Nathan Conley in just 2:17 during the semifinals. His pin was one of three recorded by UCO wrestlers in the tournament. No. 8-ranked Hunter Jump claimed his second consecutive 165-pound title with an 8-0 major decision over No. 6-ranked Cory Peterson of McKendree in the final. His earlier matches included a 4-3 semifinal victory against Newman’s Jace Fisher and a first-period pin against Maryville’s Nick Baer in the quarterfinals.No. 7-ranked Garrett Wells secured his second-straight regional championship at 184 pounds, winning the final with a 6-3 decision over Central Missouri’s Damon Ashworth. His semifinal win came by fall over Maryville’s Dalton Litzsinger at the 4:39 mark, while he opened the tournament with a 19-3 technical fall over Newman’s Chris Mapp in the quarterfinals. Not every final match went Central Oklahoma’s way, but the team still had a strong showing across all weight classes. Top-ranked Studd Morris finished as the runner-up at 125
pounds after a 5-3 loss to No. 4-ranked Jakason Burks of Central Missouri. Morris had previously defeated Indianapolis’ Nathan Smith 10-4 in the semifinals and pinned Kentucky Wesleyan’s Bryson Rowley in 1:37 during the quarterfinals. No. 12-ranked senior Dylan Brown reached the final at 149 pounds before falling to Indianapolis’ Jackson Hoover in an 8-4 decision. Brown won a 1-0 semifinal match against Central Missouri’s Garrett Lyons and pinned Quincy’s Zachary Harrington in the quarterfinals. At heavyweight, Judson Rowland placed fourth after losing 9-5 in the third-place match against Indianapolis’ Cale Gray. Rowland’s tournament included an 8-3 quarterfinal victory against Central Missouri’s Torin Forsyth and a consolation semifinal win over Newman’s Caleb Wunsch. With five champions and three additional national qualifiers, Central Oklahoma is in position for another deep run at the NCAA Division II National Championships in two weeks and will now aim to add a national title to its regional success.
improves to 12-4 over the weekend
Central Oklahoma outscored Emporia State 17-2 over the weekend, including a run rule 10-0 in seven innings on Saturday and then followed by a 7-2 win on Sunday afternoon. They improved to 3-2 in MIAA play. It started on Saturday when the Bronchos jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first when Ty Hammack hit a sacrifice fly to center and Caden Robertson scored on a wild pitch. An inning later, a Grant Randall sac bunt and a Carson Carpenter single put UCO up 4-0. The Bronchos scored one in the third and put two more on in the fourth. After a sac
bunt, Carpenter Robertson hit a two-run bomb down the left field line scoring Garrett Long and putting the Chos’ up 8-0. Two innings later, Hammack hit a solo shot to left field, ending the game at 10-0. Brett Pense pitched four innings and got the win, while Caleb Burchfield pitched three, earning the save. On Sunday it started a lot differently when Emporia State’s Peyton Lewis hit a solo homer in the bottom of the first giving the Hornets the 1-0 lead. It would not be until the top of the seventh when UCO broke out for six runs. Orlando Gonzalez scored on a wild pitch to get the Bronchos on the board, then a Randall single set up bases loaded when Robertson sent one over the left field wall for the grand
slam, giving them the 6-1 lead. This flipped the game completely upside down. Robertson would not stop there as he would double down the right field line, scoring Carpenter and extending it to 7-1. The Bronchos pitching staff held it down all game giving up only four hits and two runs. The staff did struggle with the strikeout to walk ratio of 5:5, but they still made it out of the weekend unscathed. UCO is getting national attention now with Pittsburg State on tap for next weekend, as Pittsburg State is ranked in the top 25. The Gorillas and Bronchos play Friday at 5 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 12 p.m., all at Wendell Simmons Field.
Perfect softball weekend led by perfect game from Sydney Ward
Ian Nikkel Reporter
The UCO Bronchos softball team made their final road trip over to Branson, Mo. for the Branson Showtime Classic before conference play begins next weekend, winning all four of their games and improving their record to 18-3 on the season. The weekend began with a battle against Truman State. After a sluggish first two innings, the ‘Chos found themselves down 3-0, but a Kennedy Clark hit by pitch, with the bases loaded, and a Terin Ritz grand slam propelled the Bronchos to a 5-3 lead. A Truman State home run from Avaree Taylor tied the game in the third, but it wouldn’t last long as Emily Deramus
and Ariah Mitchell scored three runs on their two doubles in the fourth and squeezed out an 8-6 victory with Sydney Ward pitching five innings in relief. Their next game would be against Missouri S&T and the bats would remain on fire as the Bronchos lit up the scoreboard with 12 runs off 14 hits, including four home runs from Central. Shelby Beard threw six innings of lights out action, aside from a grand slam given up in the fourth. The sophomore got her ninth win of the season with 11 strikeouts as the Bronchos won 12-4. Saturday would be special for Sydney Ward as she delivered a perfect game against the Lincoln Blue Tigers. The sixth-year senior threw 11 strikeouts against the 21 batters she faced while the Central Oklahoma offense scored three
runs in the third off a Kennedy Clark single and two sacrifice flies. That would be all the Bronchos needed thanks to Ward. Their final game of the Classic was against Winona State where the Bronchos continued their domination with 11 runs off 14 hits led by Kennedy Clark and Ariah Mitchell. A home run from Emily Deramus put the finisher on this one, as Terin Ritz pitched another shutout as it only took six innings to beat Winona State 11-0. The Bronchos conference opener will be this Friday with a doubleheader against Pittsburg State at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., then UCO will take on Missouri Southern on Saturday at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Studd Morris, MIAA conference wrestler of the year, dominates opponent at wrestling duel on Sunday, Feb. 16. (ARRIANA CHARQUEÑO/THE VISTA)
Andrew Frazier Contributing Writer
UCO Men’s Basketball Splits Matchups, Secures Tournament Berth
Cannon Chugon Reporter
The University of Central Oklahoma men’s basketball team split its final two regular-season games, falling to Arkansas-Fort Smith before securing a crucial win against Northeastern State on Saturday at the Hamilton Field House. UCO entered the week tied for No. 9 in the KPI standings, meaning two losses could knock the Bronchos out of the MIAA Tournament. In Thursday’s matchup against UAFS, Central Oklahoma started strong, taking advantage of its size. Senior center Luke Haasl set the tone early, scoring the team’s first two
baskets in the paint, including an emphatic dunk. The Bronchos controlled the first half with strong defense and aggressive play at the rim. Jacobi Sebock and Israel Hart led the charge, finishing with 17 points each. Despite UCO’s early momentum, UAFS stayed within reach, trailing just 32-29 at halftime. The game saw seven lead changes and four ties, with neither team leading by more than six points. UCO held the lead for more than 20 minutes, but lost control late. The Bronchos’ final lead came with just over four minutes remaining before UAFS closed the game on a run. Central Oklahoma failed to score in the last two minutes, ultimately falling 74-
MIAA Tournament Preview: Where do the ‘Chos stack up?
Ian Nikkel Reporter
The Central Oklahoma Men’s Basketball team will head up to Kansas City this week for the 2025 MIAA Conference Basketball Tournament. A new wrinkle has been added with the tournament seeding, a formula called key performance indicator (KPI). This formula has benefitted some teams and hurt others. UCO was hurt by these rankings. In the conference standings, the Bronchos were ranked fifth, but in KPI, the ‘Chos were ranked 8th. Meaning they
are going to have to win four games instead of three to win the MIAA Tournament. Do the Bronchos have to win the MIAA Tournament to make the NCAA Division II Tournament? Yes, with a record of 16-12 and eight bids allowed per region. Three
70. Though UAFS won the match, they were disqualified from postseason contention while dropping UCO to No. 9 in the standings, putting its tournament hopes in jeopardy. Needing a win to secure a playoff spot, the Bronchos delivered on Saturday against Northeastern State. The game was a battle, featuring 10 lead changes and 13 ties. Both teams were fighting for a postseason berth, and the intensity showed. With the score tied at 65, UCO took over with a 10-0 run to seize control. Sebock punctuated the victory with a fast-break tomahawk dunk, capping off a dominant performance. The junior forward recorded a season-high 25 points
on 10-of-20 shooting, adding 14 rebounds, three steals and a block. Hart also had a standout game, finishing with 12 points, a season-best seven steals and four assists. The win secured UCO the No. 8 seed in the MIAA Tournament, where the Bronchos will face No. 9 seed Emporia State on Wednesday. The Bronchos lost 74-65 in their last matchup against the Hornets, but hold a 31-16 advantage in the all-time series. The teams have met once before in the MIAA postseason, with UCO winning 62-49 in the 2017 opening round. Wednesday’s matchup will mark their first tournament meeting in Kansas City.
of those eight go to the winner of the conference tournaments and the other five at-large bids are between three different conferences. There’s a very good chance that Washburn could be the only team from the MIAA to get in. For UCO, the name of the game is to survive and advance. The Bronchos first round matchup is against number nine seed Emporia State. The game will take place Wednesday at noon at the Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City. In their lone matchup this season, the Bronchos lost to the Hornets 74-65 in Emporia back in early February. Should they win that game, they’ll battle the number one seed in the tournament, the Washburn Ichabods, who have only had two losses this season on Thursday at noon. It’ll be an uphill climb for the Bronchos if they want to win the MIAA Tournament. But stranger things have happened in March.
Lady Bronchos Split Final Two Games, Fall Short of Postseason
Cannon Chugon Reporter
The University of Central Oklahoma women’s basketball team closed out its season at the Hamilton Field House, splitting its final two games with a dominant victory over Arkansas-Fort Smith before a crushing loss to Northeastern State, ultimately falling short of a postseason berth. Entering the final weekend, the Bronchos sat two spots outside the tournament field and needed to win both matchups to secure a place in the bracket. UCO’s first test came against a 17-9 Arkansas-Fort Smith team that had defeated the Bronchos by 11 points on Jan. 12. The opening quarter saw both teams battle back and forth, with neither able to gain a significant advantage. Senior forward Jordyn Turner took control in the second quarter, dominating in the post and finishing with 18 points and nine rebounds. With 36 seconds remaining before halftime, senior guard Karly Wadsworth made history, sinking her 191st career 3-pointer to break the UCO program record. Wadsworth finished the game with 16 points.Fueled by Turner and Wadsworth’s performances, UCO built a commanding 43-27 lead at halftime and never looked back. Junior guard Talia Pogi led all scorers with 20 points, while Lakysia Johnson added 13, bringing energy to the game despite taking two hard falls while driving to the basket. The Bronchos cruised to an 83-55 victory, moving up to No. 11 in the KPI standings with one game remaining. However, they needed to crack the top 10 to qualify for the tournament. With their postseason hopes on the line, UCO entered its final matchup against Northeastern State with
urgency. The Bronchos controlled the game early, taking a 37-29 lead into halftime and leading for 35 minutes and 23 seconds of the 40-minute contest. Through three quarters, UCOmaintained its advantage, shooting 41% from the field. However, the momentum shifted dramatically in the fourth quarter. The Bronchos’ offense went cold, managing just one field goal on 16 attempts (6%), while Northeastern State capitalized, launching a 20-0 run. The game saw its first tie at 57-57 early in the final period, but UCO could not respond. Northeastern State outscored the Bronchos 24-5 in the fourth quar-
ter, sealing the 68-60 defeat and ending UCO’s postseason hopes. Turner and senior guard Korie Allensworth led the Bronchos in scoring, each finishing with 14 points in their final collegiate games. Senior Alexis Lewis added seven points, while Wadsworth scored five. Johnson contributed four points. With the loss, UCO finished the season with an 8-20 overall record and a 7-12 mark in conference play. Despite missing the postseason, the Bronchos have a promising future, with the potential to return eight players next season, including two starters. While the seniors will be missed, UCO will look to build on
UCO’s Jordyn Turner (20) dribbles against Arkansas Fort Smith’s Zyniah Thomas (0), Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025 . (Ray Burris/ FOR THE VISTA)
UCO Men’s basketball head coach Bob Hoffman encourages his team in close matchup against Arkansas Fort Smith, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (VICTOR LOPEZ/THE VISTA)
UCO’s Israel Hart (0) drives the ball up the court against Arkansas Fort Smith,Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025 . (VICTOR LOPEZ/THE VISTA)
HASA hosts peaceful protest after policy changes affect Hispanic community
Isabel Contreras Digital Editor
The Hispanic American Student Association hosted a peaceful protest at Liberal Arts South on Wednesday, Feb. 26 to advocate for the Hispanic community amid recent policy changes affecting them. HASA, in collaboration with Omega Delta Phi Fraternity, Inc. and Sigma Lambda Alpha Sorority Inc., hosted Broncho Unidos for members of the UCO community. The event began in the Liberal Arts auditorium with a moment of silence for Jocelynn Rojo Carranza, an 11 year-old girl from Texas who died by suicide after being bullied over her family’s immigration status. “Her story is a painful reminder of the struggles that many in our community face and today we want to hold a special place for her and the others who are struggling,” said Yadira Quintana, HASA Vice President. Gaby Giròn and Fernando Baquera, two UCO alumni, were guest speakers for the event. Giròn has been an advocate for navigating the higher education system as a first generation student. Baquera has been an advocate for the Hispanic community by providing vital resources and organizing various protests in Oklahoma City. “Many events have raised concerns for the Hispanic community,” said Quintana. “Today we want to empower, inform and remind our Hispanic students that you’re not alone.” Within days of being in office, the Trump administration launched immigration raids in several cities such as Chicago, Colorado and Los Angeles. The Trump administration also threw out former policies limiting the arrests of people in sensitive areas such as schools, churches and hospitals. Trump also signed an executive order to end birthright citizenship, however this order was blocked by a federal court in New Hampshire. These and other executive orders that President Trump has signed that affect diversity, equity and inclusion have sparked fear, anxiety and anger within the community. This has led to several members of the community to participate in protests across the nation, even in Oklahoma. According to Bauqera, an estimated 200-300 people gathered outside the Oklahoma State Department Education meeting on Jan. 28 to protest against immigration raids and immigration data collection on schools. During the meeting the board voted unanimously to implement a new rule that would require parents to provide proof of their child’s immigration status when enrolling them into schools. The rule was aimed at helping President Trump’s immigration policies. Superintendent Ryan Walters said the collection of data would account for the number of illegal immigrants in schools and will help the state know how to direct education resources. The proposed rule will not keep students from enrolling or from attending school. It will be used to gather information on where to place teachers
and resources. The data will also be given to the Trump administration if needed, according to Walters. Walters has expressed support for President Trump’s efforts to enforce immigration laws that include allowing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents into Oklahoma schools. Several school districts, including Oklahoma City Public Schools, will not comply with the proposed rule. “OKCPS does not, nor do we have plans to, collect the immigration status of our students or their families,” said OKCPS Superintendent Jaime Polk in a letter to parents and staff. During a news conference on Feb. 12, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt rejected the idea of having schools collect children’s immigration status when enrolling. “Collecting data on kids and using them as political pawns is not something that helps law enforcement,” Stitt said. “In Oklahoma our constitution says we’re going to educate all kids and I want to make sure every kid feels safe.” The day before the event, students gathered on the fourth floor of Max Chambers Library to create posters for the march. Following the guest speakers, the attendees gathered with their posters, outside the lobby of Liberal Arts to begin the march. The march passed through campus and on 2nd street in Edmond before ultimately ending at the Blue Tent by the Nigh.
UCO student Karla Rodriguez walks with a sign at the Hispanic American Student Association protest. (ARRIANA CHARQUEÑO/THE VISTA)
UCO students march and hold signs in protest of policy changes affecting Hispanic Americans. (ARRIANA CHARQUEÑO/THE VISTA)
UCO students along with members of the UCO Hispanic American Student Association and speakers hold signs and march across Edmond, OK in protest of recent policy changes affecing Hispanic Americans in the United States, on Wednesday, Feb. 26. (ARRIANA CHARQUEÑO/THE VISTA)
UCOSA allocations across campus for students
Continued from Page 1.
85% of the funds are to be used for student organizations as allocated through the annual appropriation process for the next fiscal year. Of the annual appropriation process, 16% is allocated to UCOSA as further divided:
14% of UCOSA’s Operating Budget is appropriated for use by the UCOSA Executive Branch, the Executive Cabinet and all entities and endeavors within. This fund is to be managed by the sitting President of UCOSA.
14% of UCOSA’s Operating Budget is to be appropriated for use by the UCO Student Congress, Congressional Committees and all entities and endeavors contained within. This fund is to be managed by the Chair of the UCO Student Congress.
2% of UCOSA’s Operating Budget is to be appropriated for use by the UCOSA Freshman Assembly and all entities and endeavors con-
tained within. This fund is to be managed by the Vice Chair of the UCO Student Congress.
5% of UCOSA’s Operating Budget is to be appropriated for use as the UCOSA Office Operational Budget. This is to include contractual obligations, office supplies and other purchases for the UCOSA Office. This fund is to be jointly managed by the sitting UCOSA President and Chair of the UCO Student Congress.
16% of UCOSA’s Operating Budget is to be appropriated for student worker wages to maintain optimal office hours year-round in the UCOSA Office. This fund is to be jointly managed by the sitting UCOSA President and Chair of the UCO Student Congress.
49% is to be allocated for High Impact spending. This allocation will be used to fund high impact events through the UCOSA Executive Branch.
The extra 15% of the funds appropriated to UCOSA by the university is to be set aside for
the following fiscal year as Sponsorship Funding. 74 organizations applied for allocations for the 2024-2025 school year during the 2024 Spring Semester. As of now, these applications are to be approved by Congress.
While these funds appropriated to UCOSA are handled by the UCOSA Congress Ways and Means Committee, the student body president oversees 84% of these appropriations and yet, Autry could not directly answer any interview questions asked by The Vista pertaining to these appropriations.
The SAF paid for by student tuition is used to support clubs and organizations across UCO by UCOSA, but the Student Body President is not aware of how these funds are being used and he is apparently not aware of his hand in these appropriations.
C&I Department provides future teachers advocacy experience Madison
The UCO Department of Curriculum and Instruction organized a two day event at the Oklahoma State capitol on Feb. 26 and 27, taking an active role in learning how to advocate. The C&I Department has been doing this since 2018. This event was started by Dr. Jill Davis. Her aim is to push students to get out of their comfort zone and help them connect with their legislative representatives.
“Our students need to show they have a voice. They need to use their voices,” said Davis. By putting future teachers in front of these representatives, Davis aims to show her students how to make their voices heard. Students had the opportunity to see first hand who is drafting bills that affect educators rights and classroom conditions.
“There are some people out there who are trying to push down teachers’ voices, and they
don’t want to hear it,” said Davis.
The Capitol visits help students understand that they have a voice when it comes to education policy. They also give them the opportunity to build new relationships with those in power.
“That’s education 101- build relationships and be nice,” said Davis.
Over the course of two days, students met with 18 different legislators. Many of the students prepared questions over proposed bills. This allowed students to advocate for Oklahoma teachers.
Davis ensured that students met with “education friendly” legislators, including representative Jacob Rosecrants, a former teacher who is now a democratic representative in a republican district. Rosecrants introduced a new bill, House Bill 1493, that will mandate at least 30 minutes of recess for elementary students in public schools and protect recess from being cut short.
“I always take them to his office because he’s down to earth. He’s been a teacher. He knows the fight that they’re in for,” said Davis.
Davis not only helps students advocate for their future students, but also encourages them to think critically about how they can contribute to the conversation. Her mentor, Libby Ethridge, was also a strong advocate for local involvement. She taught Davis the importance of advocacy in her community.
“The closer that they are to it, the more it impacts them,” said Davis.
Advocacy is an important skill for students to learn, but Davis pushes her students to get out of their comfort zone. By walking them through the process of talking with legislators, she helps them to gain the confidence to have the hard conversations.
“It’s not just us seeking them, they want to come and find us. They want to come and talk to these students,” said Davis.
Davis’ efforts not only empowers her students to speak up and shape education policy, but also demonstrate that their voices are valued.
Botany Club cleans up Community Garden for spring planting
Charlie Shackelford Reporter
On Thursday, the Botany Club met at UCO’s community garden to prepare plant beds for their plans after spring break. Every year after winter, the club meets to take steps to make sure the garden is ready for the rest of the year. The first step in preparation was cleaning up the dead plants and weeds from the garden beds. They were then utilized and added to composters inside of the garden that break down plant material and over time turn it into nutrient-rich compost. Once the beds were cleared, it was time to add more nutrients to the soil. They mixed in blood meal, bone meal and wood ash. Jenna Messick, UCO biology professor and the faculty advisor for the club, explained why it was important to add these components to the soil before planting. Blood meal contains nitrogen, which helps build proteins in plants and improves their growth and development.
Bone meal adds more phosphorus to the soil and encourages bloom growth in plants that produce vegetables. Plants typically get natural amounts of blood and bone meal from decaying animals in their natural environment, so the students added these components in the controlled environment.
The final step was to add fresh garden soil on top and mix it all together. The club will meet again as the weather gets warmer after spring break to begin planting.
The Botany Club will be hosting a plant sale to raise money to buy supplies and seeds for the garden on Friday, April 25, in Howell Hall. Most of the plants being sold are propagated plants
that were repotted a month ago by the club and have since grown in UCO plant labs. All produce grown from the community garden will be donated to the Central Pantry. If you are looking to get involved, Botany Club events are posted on UCORE. The club encourages students to spend more time outside and give back to their community by supplying fresh fruits and vegetables to the pantry.
UCO alum advocating for change for Hispanic community
Isabel Contreras Digital Editor
Fernando Baquera is a brother of Omega Delta Phi Fraternity, Inc., a DACA recipient, a college graduate, a teacher and an advocate for the Hispanic community.
Upon graduating from the University of Central Oklahoma, he got the opportunity to become a teacher and work with newcomer students. “Newcomer students are new to the country,” Baquera said. “All of my students have been in the U.S. for less than two years.” Baquera and his students protested House Bill 4156 last spring. The bill would specifically target undocumented immigrants who willingly enter and remain in the state.
Since then, Baquera has been involved in helping organize various protests in Oklahoma City to spread awareness and resources for his community.
“I just saw a need to have people encourage other people to create spaces and events where they could express what they feel in the moment in any political climate,” said Baquera. Baquera wants to have a main purpose for every event he organizes.
“I want them to be educational and I want somebody to be able to take something away and pass it on to somebody else,” said Baquera. Baquera helped organize the protest outside the Oklahoma State Department Education
meeting on Jan. 28, where an estimated 250-300 people attended, even though he worried about risking his job.
“It affects my workplace, it affects my family, it affects my personal life,” said Baquera. “It’s a risk that I am willing to take for this cause that I really do believe in.”
The attendees were protesting a new rule that would require parents to provide proof of their child’s immigration status when enrolling them into schools.
Another protest Baquera had a hand in helping organize was the protest for immigration rights at Scissortail Park on Sunday, Feb. 2.
According to Baquera, an estimated 7,000 people attended the protest.
“We told the parks no more than 500 people would show up, but there were over seven thousand people that showed up,” said Baquera. “I never expected so much of our community to come out especially in times where there is so much fear and anxiety with what’s going on.”
Baquera also helped organize a vigil for Jocelynn Rojo Carranza after members of the community reached out and Baquera got permission from her father.
Jocelynn Rojo Carranza was an 11 year-old girl from Texas who died by suicide after being bullied over her family’s immigration status.
According to Baquera, the vigil was to honor her life and hear from people in the community about what they’ve experienced in the last few
weeks.
Fidgets were donated to give to school counselors to bring awareness to bullying about legal status. According to Baquera, he was able to deliver toy fidgets to six elementary schools and two middle schools in the area.
Baquera joined the Hispanic American Student Association, Omega Delta Phi Fraternity, Inc. and Sigma Lambda Alpha Sorority Inc. as a guest speaker for their Broncho Unido event where he discussed the importance of voting.
After HASA saw the work Baquera was doing on his social media, they reached out to him to have a similar event on the university’s campus.
“They really felt that it was needed and necessary here at UCO,” said Baquera. “UCO is predominantly a white institution, so they believed it was important for us, minorities, to raise our voice and do this peaceful march.”
Baquera wants to keep helping his community by educating them about their rights, creating events to empower them and connecting them to resources.
“There is so much work to do I just feel like I helped get something started here at UCO,” said Baquera. “I hope everyone involved is able to continue to use their voice and advocate for their community.”
The UCO Botany Club cleans up the Community Garden for spring planting. (CHARLIE SHACKELFORD/THE VISTA)
Opinion: First half of ‘Yellowjackets’ shows promise
Mariah Vanzant Copy Editor
Season three of “Yellowjackets” is proving to be another exciting season for the soccer champs. Just like the previous seasons, season three blends horror, comedy and survival to make an exciting and horrific story about a girl’s high school team that survived a plane crash. The show flips back-and-forth between the girls as teens during the crash as well as the aftermath and the girls that have been revealed to have survived the entire scenario as adults. There will be spoilers in this review so proceed with caution.
Season two ended with the death of Javi, resulting in him being the group’s next meal. Somebody also burned down their shelter. It also ended with the death of Natalie as an adult during the present storyline. Season three shows the group in the wilderness during the summer. They have built a community and can hunt for food again. Natalie has been leading the group since Lottie decided she should be in charge at the end of season two.
Coach Scott has been hiding under a tree and has been eating bats to stay alive. Eventually, the group finds him. They believe he was the one who burned down their cabin and they have a trial to try to determine if he is guilty. The group finds him guilty even though he has not admitted to it.
While the show will most likely take a dark turn soon, it is interesting to see the group being happier, aside from the Shauna. The wilderness timeline is much more lighthearted than it has been in the previous two seasons. However, viewers will be anxious to find out what is going to happen to Coach Scott, who is a well-loved character.
As of episode four, there are still a lot of unanswered questions from the last season. What
happened to Crystal? Who burned down the cabin? Who or what is the eyeless man?
During the first four episodes, there has already been another death of another survivor during the present day timeline. Episode four ended with Lottie’s dead body being a crime scene. This was a perfect cliffhanger to keep viewers highly anticipating the release of episode five.
This show is dark, twisty and will always keep you on the edge of your seat. This show builds suspense like no other show or movie has managed to do. You are always on edge thinking something bad is going to happen whether it happens or not. The acting is absolutely phenomenal. The adult actors do a fantastic job of portraying the teens as adults. They show even the small mannerisms of the teen characters. The audience does not even need to be told who the
adult characters are supposed to be. You will be able to tell immediately.
Some of the actors have been seen in other horror projects. Jasmin Savoy Brown, who portrays teen Taissa, has been seen in “Scream (2022)”, “Scream VI” and will be in the upcoming “Scream 7” movie. Sophie Thatcher, who portrays teen Natalie, has been seen in “Heretic”, “Companion” and “MaXXXine”. Christina Ricci, who portrays adult Misty, has been seen in “The Addams Family”, “Wednesday” and “Casper”. Elijah Wood, who joined the show during the second season, has been seen in “The Faculty” and “The Monkey”.
“Yellowjackets” is a roller coaster of a show, but it is very dark. Only watch it if you can handle dark content such as cannibalism. So far, season three is definitely worth the watch.
Opinion: ‘Last Breath’ proves to be a gripping thriller
Britton Summers Columnist
There’s the old saying that reality is stranger than fiction and if “Last Breath” weren’t based on something that happened, it would likely be dismissed as a cliched Hollywood blockbuster worthy of Michael Bay’s filmography. Luckily, there aren’t any explosions in this movie, but it proves to be a gripping, suspenseful film about a subject that’s not often discussed in popular media.
“Last Breath” was a well-crafted thriller, emphasizing a claustrophobic atmosphere and maximum suspense. Some scenes were reminiscent of the original “Alien” film, particularly with the scenes where the characters walked around with their suits on. While there aren’t any xenomorphs running around (unfortunately), we do end up getting a claustrophobic, very intense movie where time is of the essence. Nothing is wasted in this movie and the pacing moves quickly without losing sight of the stress that this situation brings, even worse because it’s about underwater diving.
The acting is also solid. Woody Harrelson does some good work in this movie playing the fatherly Duncan. Harrelson has already proved himself
as a talented and surprisingly versatile actor, but here he doesn’t have to do too much. He plays Duncan with a casual, relaxed demeanor, though he knows when things get serious. Simu Liu and Finn Cole are also very good, with Cole bringing an everyman quality to his character while Liu is the more serious and jaded of the two. We also get some great supporting roles from Cliff Curtis and MyAnna Buring to complement this star-studded cast.
There are not very many problems with this film, it’s well made with a strong cast who makes
the best with the script they have. It is rather formulaic in its presentation. Such as how we see Cole’s character, Chris spends some time with his girlfriend, so obviously he’ll be the one who goes through the intense events that happen in this film. But “Last Breath” is so competently made that it’s easy to overlook these cliches.
“Last Breath” is a solid flick and a good one to watch if you want some pulse pounding entertainment.
LISTEN UP FOR LIVE MUSIC
MARCH
The Amity Affliction, March 5, Diamond Ballroom, 8001 S. Eastern, diamondballroom.com
Kelsey Cook, March 6-8, Bricktown Comedy Club, 409 E. California, bricktowncomedy.com
Marc Maron, March 6, Tower Theatre, 425 NW 23rd, towertheatreokc. com
Flogging Molly. March 7, Diamond Ballroom, 8001 S. Eastern, diamondballroom.com
Banda MS, March 8, Paycom Center, 100 W. Reno, paycomcenter.com
Ric Diez, Heath Cordes and Enrique Chacon, March 8, Bricktown Comedy Club, 409 E. California, bricktowncomedy.com
Killswitch Engage, March 9, The Criterion, 500 E. Sheridan, criterionokc.com
Mikey B, March 9, Bricktown Comedy Club, 409 E. California, bricktowncomedy.com
Yacht Rock Revue, March 9, Tower Theatre, 425 NW 23rd, towertheatreokc.com
Rich Amiri, March 12, Beer City Music Hall, 1141 NW Second, beercitymusichall.com
Preacher Lawson, March 13-15, Bricktown Comedy Club, 409 E. California, bricktowncomedy.com
Hinder, March 15, Tower Theatre, 425 NW 23rd, towertheatreokc.com Coal Chamber, March 16, Diamond Ballroom, 8001 S. Eastern, diamondballroom.com
“Peter Pan,” March 18-23, Civic Center, 100 W. Reno, paycomcenter. com
Ensifrtum, March 20, Beer City Music Hall, 1141 NW Second, beercitymusichall.com
John Caparulo, March 20-21, Bricktown Comedy Club, 409 E. California, bricktowncomedy.com
Bunt., March 21, Beer City Music Hall,, 1141 NW Second, beercitymu-
sichall.com
Danae Hays, March 21, Tower Theatre, 425 NW 23rd, towertheatreokc.com
Cavalera, March 22, Beer City Music Hall, 1141 NW Second, beercitymusichall.com
Damon Darling, March 22, Bricktown Comedy Club, 409 E. California, bricktowncomedy.com
Harlem Globetrotters, March 22, Paycom Center, 100 W. Reno, paycomcenter.com
Marc Broussard, March 22, Tower Theatre, 425 NW 23rd, towertheatreokc.com
Matt Nathanson, March 23, Tower Theatre, 425 NW 23rd, towertheatreokc.com
The Dave Matthews Tribute Band, March 23, Beer City Music Hall Violent Femmes, March 23, The Criterion, 500 E. Sheridan, criterionokc.com
Steel Panther, March 26, Diamond Ballroom, 8001 S. Eastern, diamondballroom.com
Kim Dracula + Hanabie, March 27, Diamond Ballroom, 8001 S. Eastern, diamondballroom.com
Shordie Shordie, March 27, Beer City Music Hall, 1141 NW Second, beercitymusichall.com
Dope City, March 26, Bricktown Comedy Club, 409 E. California, bricktowncomedy.com
Comedia Cody Smith, March 27, Bricktown Comedy Club, 409 E. California, bricktowncomedy.com
Ace Frehley, Dylan Gossett, March 28, The Criterion, 500 E. Sheridan, criterionokc.com
Affion Crocket, March 28-30, Bricktown Comedy Club, 409 E. California, bricktowncomedy.com
J.R. Carroll, March 29, Beer City Music Hall, 1141 NW Second, beercitymusichall.com
Yellowjackets is a show on Showtime that releases every Friday evening. (PROVIDED)
Last Breath released on Feb. 28, 2025 and is based on a true story. (PROVIDED)